Anti-party remarks: Abia APC lifts ultimatum on Kalu, Nkwonta
August 23, 2026 7:28 pm
Former Abia State Governor and Senator representing Abia North, Orji Kalu.
The All Progressives Congress, Abia State chapter, on Sunday lifted an ultimatum issued to the senator representing Abia North, Orji Kalu, and the member representing Ukwa East/West Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Chris Nkwonta, over alleged anti-party remarks concerning the state governor, Alex Otti.
The decision was reached at a stakeholders’ meeting held at the APC secretariat in Umuahia, where party leaders and stakeholders resolved to put the grievances behind them as the party prepares for the 2027 general elections.
Recall that the party had given Kalu and Nkwonta a 14-day ultimatum to apologise over what it described as anti-party activities.
The party had earlier condemned statements attributed to Kalu and Nkwonta in support of Governor Alex Otti of the Labour Party ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The State Working Committee of the party, at a meeting held on Monday, August 10, 2026, described the alleged statements and actions of the two APC leaders as “unstatesmanlike, irresponsible, embarrassing and inimical” to the unity and electoral prospects of the party in the state.
The SWC alleged that Kalu, during an interview with a national television station, declared that Governor Otti would win the 2027 governorship election.
It also expressed disappointment over Nkwonta’s reported statement, made in the presence of the First Lady of Nigeria, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, that he would vote for Governor Otti in the 2027 election.
However, in his speech on Sunday, the State Chairman of the party, Chijioke Chukwu, said, “What the stakeholders today are waiting for me to address is the issue of our leader, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, and the Right Hon. Chris Nkwonta, who the party, in their wisdom, met at the State Working Committee level and gave an ultimatum for them to withdraw statements they made, which the State Working Committee and a few party co-leaders met and felt that those utterances constitute what we refer to as anti-party activity.
“We have listened to them privately, not publicly, because they are leaders, and they have reached out to us, and we have found out that they have reason for going the way they went, not that they want to bring the party down, but they felt that things were not properly done in a manner that was satisfactory to them.
“For those situations, because those decisions were taken using the proper apparatus of the party, that is the State Working Committee, the State Working Committee has only two options – either to sit down and review the situation and be able to issue statements that will reflect our current position, or ask the stakeholders and party members to move a motion, adopt that motion, and revise that decision.”
The second option we have chosen is so that the public will know that we are not withdrawing what was perceived as undemocratic and threats to our leaders, but that we wanted to maintain the sanctity, supremacy, and authority of the party.
“So that second decision is what we will do because they have reached out to us, explained to us that these utterances were not made in good faith.”
Moving the motion for the unconditional pardon, the APC candidate for Aba North and South Federal Constituency, Uzor Azubuike, said the decision was necessary to promote unity and ensure that all members, both loyal and those who had erred, remained together in the interest of the party.
Sunday Nwakanma is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over 25 years of professional experience in reporting. He is based in Abia State and has worked across local, regional, and national newspapers, covering a wide range of public affairs issues. Sunday’s work reflects extensive newsroom experience, multiple professional recognitions, and a strong commitment to press freedom and responsible journalism.
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